Key Takeaways
-
The Crew
shut down servers in 2024, ending all accessibility on any platform. -
Might & Magic: Duel of Champions
fell victim to declining interest in card games. -
Splinter Cell: Blacklist – Spies vs. Mercs
ended, leaving players desperately seeking to play again.
Ubisoft is an enormous developer that has brought players many iconic franchises, like Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and many more. Most of the games they release are smashing successes, with millions of copies selling worldwide both at launch and several years after release.
However, this isn’t always the case. Sometimes, certain titles with divisive game mechanics inevitably tank, either due to a lack of players or because they didn’t make the expected profits. This causes considerable losses for the developer, forcing them to abandon the game and leaving players disappointed that they can’t play their favorite games anymore. Here are some Ubisoft games that players can’t enjoy anymore, no matter how hard they try.
5 The Crew
Fast Cars And Pretty Graphics Couldn’t Save This Title
- Great competitive gameplay.
- The game allowed for vehicle customization.
As an ambitious open-world racing game, The Crew quickly amassed a massive following, as it allowed players to explore scaled-down versions of US locales to compete in races. Players could form teams, or crews, and customize their vehicles. The Crew also offered great multiplayer modes that were very fun to compete in.
Unfortunately, as Ubisoft focused on the development of a sequel, The Crew 2, there was word that the original title’s servers would shut down. The game stayed online until early 2024, when the developers said it would no longer be accessible on any platform.
4 Might & Magic: Duel Of Champions
A Trading Card Game That Never Took Off
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 3, iOS, Xbox 360
- Released: September 13, 2012
- Developer(s): Ubisoft
- Genre(s): Trading Card, Strategy Video Game
- Collectible card game demanding strategic approaches.
- Wide range of heroes, creatures, spells, and other elements.
As a free-to-play collectible card game, Might & Magic: Duel of Champions quickly earned a loyal following. While it was not massive, players enjoyed building decks and fighting one another in strategic card battles that used spells, heroes, and a wide range of creatures. The game also offered unique abilities and different factions that players could take advantage of.
While this title was praised by many for its detailed game mechanics and extensive option variety for tactical approaches, Ubisoft noticed a slow but steady decline in the public interest in card games, which eventually led to this title’s servers being shut down permanently.
3 Splinter Cell: Blacklist – Spies Vs. Mercs
A Beloved Game Mode That Can No Longer Be Accessed
- Platform(s): GeForce Now, PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U
- Released: August 20, 2013
- Developer(s): Ubisoft Toronto, Ubisoft Shanghai
- Genre(s): Stealth game, Adventure game
- Cat-and-mouse gameplay that was exciting and fun.
- Mercenaries used brute force, whereas Spies opted for stealth.
While not a standalone game, Splinter Cell: Blacklist – Spies vs. Mercs, was a beloved game mode within Splinter Cell: Blacklist, where players took on asymmetrical roles as either Spies or Mercenaries. Each faction had its own approach to combat, with Spies having gear focused on Stealth, whereas Mercenaries’ was more firepower-oriented.
This game mode was very popular, as the matches were intense and always felt like a new experience. Players could slide quietly across the floor in one match, and enter buildings with guns blazing in the next. Despite the game mode’s critical acclaim, Ubisoft made this it inaccessible, leaving players all over the internet wondering how they can play it again — even if it’s just one last time.
2 The Settlers Online
An Interactive Game That Lasted About A Decade
- Platform(s): Web browser, PC, Linux, macOS, Classic macOS
- Released: October 21, 2010
- Developer(s): Ubisoft Blue Byte
- Genre(s): Strategy Video Game, Massively multiplayer online game, Strategy
- The game had a very devoted community.
- Players could interact with other players and expand their territories.
As far as strategy video games go, The Settlers Online was never meant to compete with monsters like Age of Empires, or Civilization. However, it did feature elements like city building and resource management. Like in other similar games, one of the main goals was to collect resources and expand as a society.
The game was beloved by its devoted fans, who dedicated hundreds of hours to playing it and interacting with other players. Sadly, though, the title’s aging design and low or non-existent profitability forced Ubisoft developers to shift their focus elsewhere, leading to the end of The Settlers Online.
1 Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X
The Ultimate Fighter Jet Experience
- The game’s servers shut down in 2015.
- Great flight mechanics and competitive online multiplayer.
Putting players in the pilot seats of fighter jets, Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X was adrenaline-inducing and extremely fun to play. The game had realistic flight mechanics, even for its time, and also featured airborne tactical elements that were necessary to engage in battles and defeat other players.
The game was arguably one of the best Tom Clancy titles of its era, and featured a good multiplayer mode that allowed for both cooperative and competitive play. Unfortunately, despite the game’s popularity and overall positive reception, Ubisoft shut down its servers in 2015, rendering multiplayer modes and all other online features inaccessible. That said, it’s still possible to play offline; however, console owners will have to blow the dust off their Xbox 360 or PS3 to revisit the title.